Juventus clinch Italian cup

Alessandro Matri was the unlikely hero yesterday when he arrived off the bench to score an extra-time winner which gave Juventus a 2-1 win over Lazio in the Coppa Italia final and kept them on course for the treble.

Matri, who has changed clubs in each of the last four transfer windows and been a fringe player since returning to Juventus in January, blasted the ball into the roof of the net in the seventh minute of extra time.

It was a record 10th Coppa title for Juve, although their first since 1995. Having already won Serie A for a fourth successive season, Juventus will attempt to cap their season by winning the Champions League in the final against Barcelona on June 6, 2015. Luis Enrique’s side will also be chasing a treble of their own in Berlin after they clinched the La Liga title with victory at Atlético Madrid on Sunday.

Lazio took a shock lead after four minutes when Andrea Pirlo failed to cut out a free-kick into the area and Stefan Radu rose to head the ball into the top of the net. Juventus needed only seven minutes to reply, Giorgio Chiellini popping up to volley home from close range after Pirlo’s floated free-kick was knocked down by Paul Pogba.

Matri had a goal ruled out for offside late in the second half but made no mistake when Carlos Tevez’s shot rebounded at his feet in a move started by an incisive pass by Pirlo

— The guardian